Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 56: Seijoh vs Nekoma (7)

The tension at the match venue continued to mount.

With Kuroo Tetsurō stepping up his offensive plays, Nekoma High's attack became smoother and more versatile.

This, in turn, provided Kenma Kozume with more opportunities and space to deploy his diverse array of strategies.

Their seamless teamwork resembled a sharp, deadly blade—precise and lethal—leaving their opponents scrambling to keep up.

On the other side, Aoba Johsai gained a surprising edge with the addition of Kyōtani Kentarō in the second set.

Though Kyōtani's coordination with the team was still rough and unpolished, his raw, aggressive playing style was akin to an unpredictable storm, relentlessly hammering Nekoma's defensive line.

This disrupted the rhythm Nekoma had painstakingly adjusted to in the first set, leaving them momentarily overwhelmed.

The scoreboard alternated as the two teams traded points, each rally keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Both teams poured every ounce of effort into offence and defence, refusing to give their opponents even a moment to breathe.

The score was now [20–21], with Nekoma leading by one point, prompting Aoba Johsai to call a timeout.

"Nobody's panicking, right?" Coach Nekomata asked as he scanned the team.

"Nope!"

"Good. Stay connected as one."

"Yes, sir!!"

As they prepared to return to the court, Kenma suddenly stopped Kuroo. "Kuroo, that number 16 from the second set..."

"Yeah, don't worry. I've got him figured out," Kuroo replied with a confident grin.

Kenma nodded, trusting Kuroo's instincts.

He knew that Kuroo had already analyzed how to counter Kyōtani's spikes and saw no need to elaborate further. Such silent understanding between the two was a common occurrence, even if their cryptic exchanges often baffled their teammates.

The game resumed with Nobuyuki Kai serving a powerful jump float.

Iwaizumi Hajime flawlessly received the serve, sending the ball soaring toward Oikawa Tōru.

Iwaizumi felt his receive becoming smoother and more natural. It wasn't an illusion—his recent gruelling, position-specific drills had seamlessly integrated skill and instinct.

Much like Sawamura Daichi of Karasuno, Iwaizumi was a well-rounded player.

However, anyone who had watched both teams closely could tell that Daichi leaned more toward defence, while Iwaizumi was more offence-oriented.

This difference stemmed from their respective team needs.

Even Nekoma couldn't help but acknowledge Iwaizumi's earlier receive. The ball had sailed perfectly to Oikawa, who set up a flawless quick attack, capitalized on by the pink-haired spiker with an elegant A-tempo quick.

It was now Aoba Johsai's turn to serve. Oikawa stepped up to the service line.

Today, Oikawa's serves had been subpar.

Partly due to the exhaustion building up from the training camp, and partly because Nekoma's receivers were just that good.

But after witnessing Iwaizumi's impeccable effort on that last rally, Oikawa felt compelled to step up. He couldn't let Iwaizumi's hard work go to waste.

Holding the ball in both hands, Oikawa exhaled slowly, letting his body relax.

Then, with a burst of energy, he tossed the ball high and took his approach. As the ball reached its peak and began its descent, Oikawa leapt powerfully into the air.

With a sharp swing of his arm, he smashed the ball down with all his might.

Boom!

The sound reverberated across the court as the ball exploded like a missile at Kenma Kozume's feet. All Kenma caught was a fleeting blur before the ball detonated onto the floor.

Service ace!

[Aoba Johsai 22 – 21 Nekoma]

Kenma shifted subtly toward the left sideline, trying to avoid the ball.

"Kenma! Stop moving to the side! Receive the ball!" Coach Nekomata's voice boomed from the sideline.

Kenma lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with the coach. There was no way he could take that serve—it might actually break his arms.

"It won't break!" Coach Nekomata yelled again, as though reading Kenma's thoughts.

"Great serve!"

"Another one!"

"Oh~" Oikawa smirked, thoroughly entertained by Kenma's subtle retreat. Picking up the ball again, he pointed directly at Kenma.

"The next one's coming to you, too!"

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